The association between cardiovascular risk burden and cognitive function amongst the old: a 9‐year longitudinal cohort study

Abstract Background and purpose Cardiovascular risk burden in midlife has been linked to cognitive decline in later life, but whether this association still exists in older cohorts is unclear. Methods The association between the cardiovascular risk score and cognitive function was investigated using 9‐year follow‐up data. The risk score algorithms were from the Chinese guidelines on the prevention and treatment of dyslipidemia in adults (2016 revised), which were assessed at baseline and categorized into tertiles (low, middle and high). Full intelligence quotient (FIQ), verbal intelligence quotient (VIQ) and performance intelligence quotient (PIQ) were assessed at follow‐ups with the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale—Chinese, revised (WAIS‐RC). Data were analyzed using the linear mixed‐effects model. Results A total of 924 participants (mean age 78.06 ± 7.58 years) were included in our study. In all participants, the risk score ranged from 0.02 to 0.55 (mean score 0.16 ± 0.08). Compared with the low tertile, a higher risk score was associated with lower FIQ ( β −0.094, 95% confidence interval [CI] −0.181, −0.007) and VIQ ( β –0.100; 95% CI −0.192, −0.007) at the follow‐up. There is a more significant association between higher risk score and lower FIQ amongst females ( β –0.263; 95% CI −0.462, −0.065) and VIQ ( β −0.268; 95% CI −0.478, −0.057). Conclusions A higher cardiovascular risk score was associated with lower FIQ and VIQ. Higher cardiovascular risk burden increased the risk of cognition impairment and accelerated its progression over time. This study has implications for early detection of cognition impairment.